Hello

Today we are going to Muse about puzzles and art. If this is your first visit, welcome to Musings. If you have been here before, welcome back. Over time we are going to talk about many things: the past, the present, perhaps the future, travel, art, society and more. Wherever my musing takes me. I hope you will come along with me.

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In the Eye of the Beholder

Today we have a visual feast. First I want to share some mind bending puzzles sent to me by a friend and then I will show you new works on paper I prepared for a showing at Jennifer Garrigues, Inc. in Palm Beach, Florida.

Puzzles

Here are the puzzles. Some are remarkable.

1. Look from left to right from top to bottom.The rod in the middle does not exist.2. How many, 7 or 10. Count at the top and then at the bottom.3. Is the door open to inside or outside?4. Round or square?5. How many, 3 or 4?6. Is this just one?7. Rare construction.8. The center beam disappears, look from left to right.

9. 2 or 3 look top to bottomAren’t they great?

Now Art

Monotypes are made by transferring an image from a flat plate to paper by running the plate and paper through a press. The result is a unique original work of art. As you will see, it is possible to make similar compositions but they are never identical. The process removes ink from the plate and the image is changed. The second image, though similar, will never be exactly the same.

Lithographs are different. They also can be made by transferring an image to paper using a press, but it is possible to create multiple copies. The plate is chemically treated to accept or repel ink in the image. After each pass through the press the plate can be inked again and the same image will be created.

New Pieces

Here are two of the new pieces. The images are similar but obviously one is much more intense than the other. The softer image was created by running the plate through the press a second time. Much of the ink was removed in the first pass through the press. What was left created this soft subtle image.

Here are two more sets of similar compositions. These were inspired by the Mexican artist Rufino Tamayo.

Of course in our polarized world we must not allow things to go to the dogs. Some people like cats. . . so here you are.

Cats

And other people are aquatic.

Gray Fish

Then every once in a while an image just seems to come out of the blue. I cannot explain the creative process.

Harlequin with Cat

And there are times when the process is completely abstract like this work. I was inspired by the watercolors of John Marin.

Morning Tide

This last work, also abstract, is the lithograph. I gave myself the challenge of using the colors red, blue and black only and to create the design using only dots or circles.

Sun Bather

If you find yourself in Palm Beach drop into Jennifer Garrigues. It is always very interesting.

More to come

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